Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Saskatoon

What does the famous Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles have to do a Monster Garage in Saskatoon?  Think on that while I take you through the last couple of weeks.

As you will recall, at the end of July we did mondo rebar installation, followed by survey staking.  We then covered it with a tarp and left for the lake for a week.  This is what the tarp looks after 2 inches of rain.  Like hundreds of little tents formed by the weight of the water in the valleys!

Then this is what the tarp looks like when Rob pumps it off for an hour and half.  We didn't want the tarp to stretch and break and then have water flood the hard packed gravel.

And there was another reason why we didn't want water on the tarp.  Because....the concrete guy was coming!  Yes, it's true.  Concrete guy came on Monday August 13.  Yay!  (Rob stayed up from Regina to await their arrival; I went to the office). They arrived at 2:30, spent an hour and half pouring, and then another four hours smoothing it over.  That's a long day.  This is what I found when I got home: 

And here is the final version. That is a lot of concrete and a lot of garage! I was worried that someone would write their names in it (or handprints, a' la Grauman's Chinese Theatre with the handprints of movie stars), but it was firm enough by the time we went to sleep on Monday. (though I did keep waking up worrying about it, so kept getting up to check on it)

But it doesn't stop there.  Concrete as it cures gives off heat, and you want to keep it wet so it dries evenly and doesn't crack.  Which means watering it every waking moment so it doesn't dry out.

So I've been watering when I get up before work, coming home at noon to water, and water at night.  Our sprinkler makes the garage pad turn into a water fountain feature!



And we reported the slab to the City's Building Department and they will come out and do an inspection tomorrow.  If all goes well, then we are buying the first round of lumber on the weekend and up goes the walls.  Rob has said after each gruelling round of prep and construction work, that it will get easier.  I've yet to see that, but I'm optimistic!